[Jmenschenfresser]

I've pretty muched stopped playing SE4...(it sounds strange to even write)...and I feel the need to write a short diddy about what will bring me back for part 5.

Combat. Combat plain and simple.

Even with all the tech, the weapons, ship sizes, offensive and defensive components, space combat in SE4 feels like salvos with nuclear weapons. Many times the first strike wins the battle. I am not sure how it came to be, but in spite of all the gadgets, combat is won before it begins. By that I mean, combat starts with your first spent research point. By the time your ships face-off, the script is largely written. There is little room for tactics. Perhaps the present system would be sufficient if two humans (beyond the scope of hotseat) could go toe to toe in tactical combat mode. Dunno.

That being said here's what I suggest:

-Retreat option (it's been suggested a billion times.
-Expanded individual ship settings to allow in combat tweaking for special roles. (In other words, treat ships more like the large complex machines they are. Perhaps power levels effecting movement, weapon strength & shield strength)
-Add reality to ship movement (no abrupt u-turns, etc)
-Location placement for weapons and armor (i.e. if you unwisely placed all your PPBs forward, you won't be able to fire at anything aft.)
-Make damage location specific.
-Ship statistics which would effect performance...readiness, morale, supply, etc.
-Human on human tactical combat (although I am at a loss to suggest how it should be done)
-Small scale phenomenon to spice up the combat playing field (i.e. Planetary gravity, atmosphere, asteroids, blah blah blah.)
-Friendly ships should be able to occupy the same square. Perhaps even non-friendly, but I haven't thought through that one yet.

As far as ground combat goes...some could be added, but I think it could still be kept at a simulated state like it is. Perhaps it could be done with a map and orders, allowing the player to drop the troops, after which they attack by themselves. Perhaps it would be fun to also have an extraction option to save their lives if they start to lose.

I realize SE4 isn't solely a space combat sim, but to me half the fun of building and researching kick *** armadas would be to see them tested under a combat system allowing tactical and operational depth.

Maybe turn based tactical combat between humans would be more viable under a simulaneous move system, rather than U-GO-I-GO. Not necessarily real-time, which would turn it into a click fest, but an order phase where both players essentially pre-move their pieces. Then both sides moves are executed simultaneously. Would be interesting if you wanted Frigate A to move forward 5 squares and then fire at the closest ship, but wouldn't know exactly which ship would be the closest.

Perhaps I am talking about another game as yet undeveloped...